MicroLED Microdisplays

The MicroLED Industry Association published its first soft-standard document, that focuses on microLED microdisplays. Most analysts and developers agree that the AR market is one of the targets for microLED displays. MicroLED microdisplays offer many advantages for AR developers – mainly very high brightness and high efficiency.

In this soft-stsandard document, the MicroLED Industry Association provide guidelines for microdisplay developers and device makers, identifying the different properties of microLED microdisplays and suggesting how to disclose display metrics and performance.

Hong Kong based microLED microdisplay developer Raysolve Technology announced a new microdisplay product line, branded as PowerMatch 1. These are 0.13" 320x240 full-color microLED microdisplays, that achieve a high brightness of 250,000 nits (up from 150,000 nits in the company's previous panels). The company is using blue LEDs with quantum dots (QD) color conversion.

The company says that it managed to increase the brightness compared to its previous panels by optimizing both the GaN blue material and the quantum dots conversion materials, in addition to updates to the manufacturing process and the CMOS driver. The new dispalys achieve the same olor performance of its predecessor (108.5% DCI-P3).

In March 2024, Apple decided to cancel its microLED project to develop and produce its own wearable display. Apple started developing microLED displays for wearable devices years ago, first aiming to launch the first product in 2023. The project was delayed several times, as the cost of production for microLED displays was too high for Apple, to the point where it was suggested Apple's goal is to launch the first microLED watch in 2027. But that project was cancelled.

Apple's decision made many people pessimistic about microLED displays, especially in the near term. We already posted an article speculating how Apple's decision may affect the industry. And as we also know, Apple has several other active microLED projects still under development.

A twitter account (@Jukanlosreve) that is new but said to be reputable under a different username, now suggests that Apple indeed has not given up on microLEDs. Apple is still developing an AR headset based on microLED microdisplays, which it hopes to release in 2026. The company also still plans to release a microLED smartwatch in 2026.

Today we published a new edition of our MicroLED and OLED Microdisplays Market Report, with all the latest information. The new edition offers more that a dozen new updates, new companies, new brochures and catalogs, and more. It is a major release with over 10 updates, new companies, new predictions and new devices. Global multinational companies are working hard to develop and deploy next-generation AR and VR devices, and these devices will all be based on OLED and microLED microdisplay engines.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

• The advantages of OLED and MicroLED microdisplays
• The microdisplays that are available on the market today
• Information on all companies involved in this market
• Future technologies and roadmaps

The report package also provides:

• A list of all OLED microdisplays on the market
• A list of all OLED and MicroLED microdisplays makers
• Microdisplays spreadsheet
• Over 25 datasheets, presentations
• Free updates for a year

This microdisplays market report provides a great introduction to MicroLED and OLED microdisplays, and covers everything you need to know about the current status of the market and industry. This is a great guide if you're considering to adopt OLED microdisplays in your product, if you're looking to learn more about next-generation micro-LEDs and if you want to understand this industry better.

MicroLED Industry Association member XPANCEO announced a partnership with Jade Bird Display (JBD) to develop integrated microLED displays for XPANCEO's smart contact lens platform.

It turns out the two companies have been working already on two different approaches. The first one (shown in the image above) uses a project and hologram combination, projecting an image at a distance so the eye can focus on it. XPANCEO already tested this approach with JBD's microLED projector, as an external device to the contact lens, and now the two companies are aiming to integrate the microLED projector unto the lens.

Meta announced a new AR headset, called Orion. The glasses, that Meta says costs $10,000 to produce (and will probably be sold to something like that as well) are powered by microLED microdisplays. Orion packs quite advanced technology, including Silicon Carbide lens and advanced AI, but this is of course actually a prototype device, that Meta will offer commercially to developers or (very) early adopters. The Orion glasses weigh 98 grams, which still way more than what people consider to be light weight glasses (usually under 30 grams).

It is very nice to see the adoption of microLED technology by Meta. While some speculate that these microLED displays are made in-house by Meta using the Plessey Semiconductor technology and production line, it is also known that the company gave up on that course, and others speculate that these displays are produced by JBD, and are made from 3 separate monochrome microLED panels.

Pyramidical GaN microLED develop Polar Light Technologies announce a partnership with die bonding solution developer Finetech, to co-develop microLED technologies. The two companies already started developing microLED microdisplay applications. 

Polar Light Technologies and Finetech developed a modified flip-chip cold bonding technique that ensures accurate alignment between the microLEDs and the electronics. The two companies say that in early trials, this method showed an impressive 85% success rate, proving its potential for large-scale manufacturing.

Israeli-based display inspection developer InZiv has recently expanded its management team, as the company reports increased interest in its microLED inspection systems. Dr. Tali Hurvitz has joined InZiv as its new R&D manager, bringing with her years of experience in the flat panel display industry and in the technology sector in general.

Dr. Tali Hurvitz earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD from Tel Aviv University, where she focused on physics and materials science. She has held significant positions, including her latest role as the Head of the Physics, Materials, and Innovation group at KLA, and has previously worked in various capacities within the technology sector. Dr. Tali will now lead InZiv’s R&D as the company matures and expands its solution portfolio.

Hello Dr. Tali, we first of all want to wish you the best of luck at InZiv. What drew you initially to the field of physics and materials science? 

As long as I remember myself, I preferred technical toys (like LEGO) to social ones (like dolls…). When in middle school I was directed to participate in cooking classes, while the boys went to study electronics - I rebelled and joined the boys! It was inspiring to learn how simple and straightforward electricity was. It is either zero or one. That led to my studying electronics in high school. My plan was to continue to higher education in that field as well. However, before starting my first year I took a preparation course in Physics - and I was hooked, till this day. Understanding the physical laws around us and forming these laws in simple equation - it's like magic!

MicroLED microdipslay developer Mojo Vision, a MicroLED Industry Association member, announced a partnership with CY Vision to develop next-generation heads-up displays (HUDs) for the automotive market.

These HUDs will use Mojo Vision's microLED technology, and will also leverage AI and 3D imaging to provide drivers with an "immersive and personalized driving experience with informative, line-of-sight overlays that promote driver safety and provide essential information".

Microdisplays are defined as very small displays, usually under 1-inch in diameter, used for near-eye applications. These displays feature very fine pixels and usually deliver very good image qualities. Microdisplays are used in markets such as military (HMDs, rifle sights, etc.) and industrial markets.

Most microdisplays on the market today are either LCD/LCoS displays or OLED displays. MicroLED technology is highly promising for microdisplay applications as it promises the high image quality of OLED displays coupled with very high brightness, high efficiency and long lifetimes. While the microLED industry is still emerging, the microdisplay sector is relatively mature and some displays are already deployed on the market.